Dear Stranger Page 2

  Richard had heard the stories about the scandal surrounding Sophie’s mother. Her family had disinherited her after she’d eloped with someone who’d only recently made his fortune in trade. The Turners had wanted nothing more to do with her, despite the fact that Crandle’s wealth had increased substantially with each passing year. They’d lived outside society’s acceptance until their death in an accident last year. Sophie’s presence at tonight’s masquerade must mean her mother’s family had welcomed her into its fold, which would have gone a long way towards easing her entrance into society. As the younger son, Henry didn’t have much of an income and his interest in Sophie no doubt meant she had inherited her father’s fortune.

  He didn’t care that Henry had chosen not to marry Ellen Westing, but there was no way he was going to allow his tame brother to claim the passionate Sophie Crandle for himself. He would have to find some other heiress to marry.

  His decision made, he donned his mask again and returned to the ballroom. He had intended to bide his time, to keep an eye on Sophie until he could fill in the missing details about her current situation. That changed, however, when he saw Henry approach her. He was forced to watch while she laughed at something he said as he led her into a quadrille.

  He was struck with the irrational urge to drag Henry away from her and smash his hand into his smug, smiling face. Instead, he made his way to where the musicians were set up at the far end of the room to have a brief word with the conductor. Several matrons tried to capture his attention when he was done, but he sidestepped them all. His attention remained fixed on Henry and Sophie as they moved through the patterns of the dance.

  She was taller than most of the women there. Her hair was a rich black and her dress a deep blue—both emphasised her ivory skin, a fair bit of which was showing. It was impossible to forget the way she’d looked when he’d pulled down that dress and bared her pale breasts.

  After what seemed like an eternity, the dance finished and he moved to intercept them before Henry could return Sophie to her aunt. He ignored his brother’s obvious displeasure and directed his attention to Sophie.

  “I neglected to tell you how lovely you look tonight, Miss Crandle,” he said as he bowed over her hand, pleased at the blush that rose to her cheeks. “May I have the pleasure of this next dance?”

  The opening notes of the waltz he had paid the conductor to play had started and he didn’t wait for her response before tucking her hand into his arm and leading her out. He said nothing when she glanced back at Henry, but the tell-tale sign that she worried about his brother’s reaction irritated him.

  He knew they were being watched, but he ignored everyone else. It wouldn’t be the first time society had whispered about him.

  “This is most improper,” Sophie said. “We haven’t been properly introduced.” Despite her protest, she stepped into his arms.

  “As Henry’s brother, everyone will assume he introduced us.”

  “I hope so.”

  They danced in silence, their movements fluid and perfectly matched. After the intimacy they had already shared, being so close to Sophie wreaked havoc on his senses. He longed to pull her close to him, but somehow managed to maintain a respectable distance. That didn’t stop him from remembering how she’d felt pressed against his body. How she’d writhed against him and moaned when he’d touched her, as he longed to now. And her scent—the slight trace of lavender mixed with something else he couldn’t identify—almost drove him mad with desire. It was all he could do not to lead her through the doors that would take them out to the gardens so they could continue where they had left off.

  He could almost feel Henry’s eyes boring into his back, and knew there would be no way to accomplish that goal. He could be patient, however. Not for long, but he knew Sophie would be worth the wait.

  “Thank you,” she said finally, breaking the silence.

  “It is always a pleasure to dance with a beautiful woman,” he said, unable to stop himself from drawing her an inch closer.

  She sucked in her breath, and he couldn’t help but notice the way her beautiful breasts rose above the edge of her bodice.

  “No, not for the dance. Thank you for not telling Henry about what happened outside. I hope we can forget our misunderstanding and begin anew from this moment.”

  He twirled her around quickly, and missing a step she stumbled towards him.

  “You’re not getting away that easily,” he said, his mouth not far from her ear.

  He felt a surge of satisfaction when he saw a shiver of awareness go through her. She recovered her balance and drew away from him, but he could see the heat that coloured her cheeks. That’s right, Sophie, he thought. I’m going to make sure you don’t forget our very memorable meeting.

  Their eyes met and held. He hadn’t been sure of their colour out in the garden, but now he could see hers were a dark green. Cat’s eyes that tilted slightly at the corners.

  It took him a moment to realise that the music had stopped and people were staring at them in speculation. He led her back to her aunt, who was deep in conversation with another woman and didn’t appear to notice Sophie’s return.

  “Until next time,” he said, dropping a kiss onto the back of her hand.

  Those lovely green eyes widened at the contact. Smiling with satisfaction, he took his leave.

  Chapter Two

  After that first meeting, it seemed to Sophie that she saw the Earl of Dearbourne wherever she went. Balls, routs, even a dinner with one of her aunt’s friends. She did not, however, repeat the mistake she’d made on the night they met. He and Henry were clearly brothers, but she found it impossible to believe she had ever mistaken Dearbourne for his brother. As well as the differences in their features, there was something about the way he carried himself that commanded attention. An air of authority that his brother lacked. And the way he looked at her… Lord help her, but she was aware of him in a way she had never been with Henry.

  It didn’t help that Henry still hadn’t kissed her, which meant she was no closer to knowing whether she could accept the marriage proposal she knew was coming. The situation was, in fact, worse because now she couldn’t stop thinking about the earl and the kiss they had shared. She’d even started dreaming about him, and in her dreams he was doing deliciously wicked things that went far beyond kissing.

  Two weeks had passed and she was in her bedroom reading when a maid informed Sophie that she had a visitor. Her spirits rose at the news—it had to be Henry. She’d mentioned that her aunt would be away from home when she’d seen him the night before at the Henderson’s rout. Perhaps today would be the day he proposed. And, if he did, she meant to ask him for a kiss before accepting.

  Ignoring the uncertainty that assailed her at the thought of kissing him, she hurried downstairs to the drawing room, a welcoming smile firmly in place. That smile faltered, however, when she found the Earl of Dearbourne waiting for her. Her mind went immediately to the heated dream she’d had the night before and it was a moment before she could speak.

  “This is a surprise, my lord.”

  His smile was enigmatic. “You were expecting, perhaps, my brother?”

  The question flustered her. “He didn’t say he planned to call today.”

  It wasn’t a lie, but they both knew she’d been hoping for just that. She wanted to ask Lord Dearbourne what he was doing there, but was almost afraid of what his answer would be. A small part of her actually wished her aunt was home to act as a buffer for this meeting. When Aunt Jane had taken her in last summer, after her parents had died in a boating accident, she’d made it clear that, as a condition of being welcomed into the Turner family, Sophie was expected to act with propriety at all times. Given the freedom she’d experienced during her childhood and youth, she normally found her aunt’s constraints stifling. She’d initially baulked when her aunt had all but ordered her to consider Henry Hearst’s suit, but it hadn’t taken her long to discover that she genuinely liked him. A
unt Jane saw Henry as the answer to clearing away the last of the whispers that still surrounded Sophie because of her parents’ elopement. Dearbourne’s attention, however, was placing her chance of acceptance at risk.

  “I’m afraid my aunt is away from home,” she said, leaving unspoken the obvious—that she could not entertain him alone. She grew increasingly uncomfortable when he scrutinised her for several moments before replying.

  “And we both know you would never behave outside of what society considers to be proper.”

  Heat flooded her cheeks at the reminder of the shameful way she had thrown herself at him at the masquerade.

  He continued, “In that case, perhaps we can go for a drive.”

  Of course, he wanted to make sure they weren’t alone. Dearbourne must be used to women throwing themselves at him all the time. Until that moment it hadn’t occurred to her to wonder if he thought she’d been trying to trap him into compromising her. She knew others who’d boasted of securing engagements after using such stratagems, and it annoyed her that he might think she’d resort to such methods herself.

  The rational part of her mind told her she should refuse his invitation. Heaven knew it certainly wouldn’t be good for her reputation. The other part of her, however, the part that seemed to be getting stronger every day, was growing increasingly intrigued with Dearbourne. What finally made her mind up was the suspicion that he was paying her this visit to let her know he didn’t approve of Henry’s courtship of her.

  She accepted his invitation and soon found herself sitting next to Lord Dearbourne in his curricle, on the way to Hyde Park. It didn’t take her long to realise that being so near to him was disturbing to her peace of mind, and she began to doubt the wisdom of agreeing to accompany him. When she found herself watching his hands as he deftly handled the reins, and remembering how those hands had felt on her body, she had to force herself to look away to regain her composure.

  They were nearing Hyde Park before she could trust herself to look at him again. She knew their presence would cause a stir and didn’t relish the attention they were about to attract. She winced inwardly when she thought of the lecture her aunt would deliver when the gossip made its way back to her. Stiffening her spine, she pushed that thought to the back of her mind. She was there now and if she was going to learn the real reason for Dearbourne’s visit she would have to ask him.

  “To what do I owe the honour of your company this afternoon?”

  He aimed a smile at her that warmed her insides.

  “It is a lovely day and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than in the presence of a beautiful woman.”

  It shouldn’t have, but the compliment surprised her. She could see why women lost all sense with the Earl of Dearbourne. She was in danger of finding herself in the same position and had to remind herself to think about Henry.

  When the curricle turned into Hyde Park she saw first one, then two heads turn in their direction. The inevitable followed—whispers and more turned heads.

  “This wasn’t a good idea,” she said.

  “Why ever not?”

  Sophie sighed. “Does Henry know you planned to visit me today?”

  Dearbourne’s tone held an edge of annoyance when he replied, “I am not in the habit of asking my younger brother for permission before I do something.”

  That answered her question. What would Henry think when he learnt about this outing? Would he be annoyed? Or, worse, what if he didn’t care?

  “Tell me about yourself,” Dearbourne said.

  Sophie realised they were now at the heart of the matter. She was being interviewed for a position within the exalted Hearst family and expected he would forbid his brother from marrying her if she didn’t measure up to his standards. Her first instinct was to throw Dearbourne’s question back in his face, but she swiftly discarded the notion. He had chosen his avenue of interrogation well. She began to suspect he’d known her aunt was away from home when he’d paid his visit that afternoon. And by taking her to the park, where all of society could watch them, he had ensured she would not be able to argue with him.

  “What would you like to know?”

  Her voice dripped with all the false sincerity she could manage, earning her a quelling glance from her companion.

  “Are you going to parry everything I say?”

  She smiled broadly. “I was thinking about it.”

  He sighed. “Very well, what should we talk about, then?”

  She was surprised at his easy capitulation. Dearbourne did not seem like the kind of man who would be easily swayed from a course of action.

  “Why don’t you tell me about you? Or, better yet, about Henry.”

  He started to scowl, but must have remembered they were being watched.

  “You’ll have to ask my brother any questions you have of him. As for me, there isn’t really much to tell. As you probably already know, the family seat is in Kent. I suppose I had a typical childhood for an heir to an earldom. My mother overindulged me, while my father went to the other extreme to toughen me up in preparation for the responsibilities I’d one day inherit.”

  Sophie frowned. “That sounds horrible.”

  He shrugged. “It had its bad moments, but there were also many that were good. Most of them when Henry and I managed to sneak away.”

  “And now?”

  He raised an eyebrow in question and she elaborated.

  “I get the impression you and your brother are not close. What happened?”

  “Our father died when I was twenty and I became the earl. Needless to say, Henry didn’t appreciate the fact that his brother was now in control of the estates, and, by extension, of him.”

  Sophie felt a sympathetic pang of regret as she imagined the two blond boys, who’d once played together as children, ripped apart by the responsibility thrust too early on the elder. She could tell that Dearbourne felt the loss, though he maintained an air of equanimity. She touched a hand to his arm briefly.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  He turned and met her eyes. He appeared to be surprised, but he didn’t scorn her sympathy. Their gazes held and something shifted in her chest. She found it difficult to breathe. When he looked away again, she inhaled deeply to reassure herself that her lungs still worked.

  The ensuing silence stretched her already frayed nerves further. To keep her thoughts from straying to things that were best not contemplated, she searched with desperation for something to say. “We will be attending the theatre tomorrow evening. Hamlet is playing.”

  He turned to her and smiled. “Now that you mention it, I realise I haven’t seen a play in quite some time. I have a box at the theatre. Perhaps you and your aunt would care to join me. Plays are usually enjoyed best while in good company.”

  Her foolish heart leapt at the proposal, and she frowned. “What are you doing?”

  Dearbourne raised an eyebrow. “Driving? Talking? Issuing an innocent invitation?”

  “You’re flirting with me and people are beginning to notice.”

  His smile broadened. “I was merely being my normal, charming self. I can hardly be blamed if women find me irresistible. In fact, it has often been a curse.” He leaned closer to her and continued in a conspiratorial tone, “I keep a weapon under my seat in case I am accosted.”

  Such was her discomposure that she actually looked at the area in question. When she realised what she was doing, her gaze swung back to his. His eyes were alight with amusement.

  She couldn’t help it—she laughed. He was just so ridiculous. And pompous. And, God help her, incredibly attractive.

  She and Lord Dearbourne seemed to have reached a truce of sorts. He continued to flirt with her and she found that she no longer cared what others were whispering. If Henry learnt of their outing, then so be it. He hadn’t given her any indication he was interested in her in any way other than as a friend and a wealthy catch, and, after spending time with his older brother, she found she was tir
ed of it.

  When they reached her aunt’s town house, Dearbourne stepped from the curricle and came around to her side. She hesitated for a second but then, realising she was being silly, placed her hand in his. He’d removed his driving gloves and shivers of awareness swept down her spine as the warmth of his hand, clasped around her smaller one, seeped through her thin cotton gloves. She stepped down and they stayed like that for several long moments.

  His thumb swept along the back of her fingers and she felt her breath catch.

  “Sophie…”

  His voice was low, his blue eyes dark with unspoken emotion.

  They’d danced around the reason for his visit since Dearbourne had arrived. He’d said he wanted to get to know her, but she knew the truth. He was an earl while she was barely accepted by his peers. She couldn’t allow him to leave without knowing what he was thinking.

  “Did I pass your inspection?”

  He tsked softly. “You were hardly under inspection, Sophie. I was merely trying to get to know you better.”

  The use of her given name, together with the fact that he was still holding her hand, made her acutely aware of the last time they had shared such intimacies. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. “I don’t believe I gave you leave to address me with such familiarity.”

  “Actually,” he said, a hint of devilry in his eyes, “I believe you did. I distinctly remember asking you for your name when we met and it wasn’t your family name you gave me. And, if you must know, you did indeed pass inspection. I have decided, however, that Henry does not deserve you.”

  She was momentarily stunned, but she had to ask the next question. “Who does?”

  His gaze moved to her mouth and she knew he was going to kiss her. She also knew that she wanted him to.

  “I do.”

  His head dipped and he brushed his lips against hers in the lightest of caresses. She started to sway towards him, but he stepped back to place an appropriate amount of distance between them. It was only then that she remembered they were on a public street, and anyone could have seen them.